Ruffling mechanism for sewing-machines.



No. 841,546. PATBNTED JAN. l5, 1907.

' A. LAUBSCHER.

RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

A??LIGATION HLBD JUNE 29.1905.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1 NOW No. 841,546. PATENTBD JAN. 15, 1907. A. LAUBSGHBR.

-URUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

11 PL1GAT10N 1111111) JUNE f. 28 19m G SHEETS-SHEET 2 No. 841,546. PATBNTED JAN. l5, 1 90'7.

A. LAUBSCHER. RUPPLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIUATION FILED U s f.

J NB 28 l 0 s SHEETS-SHEET s.

N-o. 841,546. I PATENTBD JAN. 15, 1907.

A. LAUBSGHBR.

RUFFLING MEGHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED UN f.

, J E 28 mod s SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 841,546. PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

A. LAUBSCHER. V RUFFLING MEGHANISM FUR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED .I

UNE 28 1905,) 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

H l. f1.

No. 841,546. PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907. A. LAUBSGHER.

RUFPLING' MEGHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

T APPLICA ION FILED JUNE 28.1905 6 SHEETS SHEET G' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC.

ALEXANDER LAUBSCHER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WHEELER t WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT. y y

RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES...

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an. 15, 1907.

Application filed June 28,1905. Serial No. 267,373.

- To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LAB- sCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rufiiing Mechanisms for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. i.

This invention relates to ruffling mechanisms for sewing-machines; and its object isv any desired point or points a number of plaits Fig. 9.

or gathers. The crim ing-blade is mounted so 'as to receive the or inary vibrating or reciprocating movements, .and without stoping its actuating mechanism the latter is renldered alternately effective and ineffective b.y

the automatic controlling mechanism first mentioned, as will now be described and nally claimed.

In the accom the invention,

front side elevation with the bedplate and overhanging arm in part in section. Fig. 2 is a rear side elevation. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan "view. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, taken on the line A B, 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation in the plane of line C D, Fig. 1, looking toward the right. Fig. 6

is a sectional elevation in the plane of line f E F,'Fig. 1, looking toward the. left.

Fig. 7 is a plan view below the plane of line G H,

Fig. 8 is a erspective view ofthe device for holding t e work as the crim ingblade retracts. Fig. 9 is a front end e eva'- tion of a portion of the machine, showing a part of .the rufliing mechanism adjusted to its operative position; Fig. 10 is a longitua detail of the auto'- matically controlled connection-for transmitting movements to the crimping-blade.

panying drawings, illustrating inthe several iigures of which` like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1I is a of the ratio offtwo to one,

Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating one form of the work.

1 indicates the usual bedlate; 2, the overhanging arm; 3, the nee le-actuating shaft, suitably mounted in the overhanging arm; 4, the band-wheel; 5, the needle-bar, adapted in any usual way to be-operated from the needle-shaft. l

6 is the take-up lever 3 7, the presser-bar, provided with the usual tension-spring. (Not shown.) A 8 is the presser-bar lifter; 9, the presser-barlifter collar; 10, the presser-bar. adjustable bearing.

11 and 12 are the thread-checks.

13 is the thread tension.

14 is the thread-controller 15', the threadleader; 16, the'face-plate.

17 's a rod secured by'screw 18 in suitable bearings in the overhanging arm and provided witha'slot (see dotted lines, Fig. 2)

into which an arm. 19 of the presser-bar-lifter 'collar 9 projects to prevent radial movements of the resser-bar.

2() is the ta e-up-lever screw; 21, the lower main shaft.

, 22 represents quartering crank connections for transmitting motion vfrom the needle-actuating shaft 3 to the lower main shaft.

l23 is the auxiliary hook-shaft; 24, the driving-gear, carried by the lower main shaft and meshing with a driven gear 25, carried by the auxiliary hook-shaft 23, such gears being thus giving to the auxiliary'hook-shaft' two revolutions to one revolution of the needle-actuatingshaft 3.

26 represents bevel-gears mounted upon the auxiliary hook-shafty 23 and meshing with bevel-gears 27, `secured 'to the lower end yof the loop-taker shafttnot shown) for transmitting rotary movements to the looptakers 28.

.by screws 30 to the under side of the bedplate and provided with suitable bearings in which the loo taker shafts .are mounted.

31 is the fee -adjusting lever secured to the outer end of the rock-shaft 32 and provided with an adjustable sto 33, the'rock-shaft 32 being rovided with a lever 34, pivotally connectedp by a link 35 to an adjusting-lever 36, which is pivotally attached to an arm 37 of the feed rock-shaft 38, the opposite end of IOO ' the lever` 36 being provided with a slideblock 39, adjustably secured to a flange 40 on a rock-lever 41, which latter is rovided with a shaft 42, mounted in suitab e bearings 43 on the bed-plate.

44 is an eccentric secured to the lower main shaft 21, which coacts with the forked end 45 of the lever 41 to give, through the connections 36, 37, and 39, rocking movements to the feed rock-shaft 38. To the forward end of the feed rock-shaft 38 is secured a lever 46, to the outer end ofwhich is pivotally connected a feed-bar 47, carryinga: feed-dog 48 and given longitudinal move-- ments through parts 36, 38, 41, 44, 46, and 47. The end of the feed-bar 47 opposite to that attached to the lever 46 has a groove (not shown) in which works a slide-.block 49, mounted on a stud 50, secured in the outer end of an arm 51 on the lift rock-shaft 52, mounted between pintle-bearings 53. yTo the end of the lift rock-shaft Y52 opposite to that provided withv the arm 51 is\se'cured a forked lever 54, acted upon/by an eccentric' 55, carried by the lower main shaft 21 for givingthrough the connections `49, 50, 51, and 52, vertical movements to the feedbar 47.

56, Figs. 2,.,5, and 6, is a horizontal rockshaft mounted in a bearing 57, formed at the rear side of the bracket 58, and 59 is a lever fast on the end of said rock-shaft and connected by a pitman- 60 With an eccentric 61, Figs. 1, 5,. and 6 secured on the needle-actuating shaft. vThe lower end of this pitman is pivoted to said lever by a stud 62 and its upper end is strapped around said eccentric in any usual manner. y

63. is a horizontal rock-shaft mounted in a bearing 64 at the front of the bracket 58, said rock-shaft carrying'at one end a lever 65, Whichhas adjustably secured to it an eXtension-lever 66, whiclil'carries at its lower end a pivotally-securedtliqacket 67 .towhich latter is secured the crimping-blade 68A. oted bracket 67 is" provided with an arm'- 69, which when the presser-bai' is raised is acted upon by an arm 70 to tilt'the forward endof the crimping-blade upward, the said arm '70 being secured in a bracket collar 71, attached to the presser-bar. The extensionlever 66'is provided with a stud 72, which has riveted to it a rod 73, which asses through an e e 74, formed integral with the ivoted brac et 67, the rod 73 being provide with a s Iring 75 and an adjusting-nut 76 one end of t e spring acting against the inner side of the adjusting-nut and its opposite end resting against the outer side of the eye 74, thus causing the s rin 75`to hold the free end ofthe crimpi la e down upon the material.

To the en of the rock-shaft 63 opposite to that u on which the lever 65 is mounted is secure( a lever 77, which extends alongside the lever 59, with which it is coupled by adaxis of the shaft 56.`y

i and The piv- 'com ressed against the-end of the hub 96by `dicated by theV arrow s.

justably-secured slide-blocks 78 and 79, Fig. l10, loosely mounted upon a stud-80, secured by a nut 81 in the end y82 of a link 83, the other end of which is secured by a screw 84 to the lower end of a lever 85, depending from a shaft 86, mounted in suitable pintlebearings 87, the 1`shaft 86 being provided with a coiled spring ,88, which is set to hold` when free to act, .the blocks 78 and 79 at the rlhrough the action of the lever 85 the slide-blocks 78 and 79 are adjustedin the groove 89, formed in the lever 7-7, and groove 90, formed in the lever 59, so that movements of greater or less extent may be given the crimp -blade 68, and by adjusting the blocksy 78 and '79` through the resiliency of spring 88 at the axis of the shaft 56 the movements of the crimping-blade are automatically suspended independently of the operation of the stitch-forming mechanism.

The stitch-forming, vruflli-ng mechanisms thus far described are of the usual construction; but others having essentially the same or even like capabilities may be' used instead. y

The parts more directl involvedin the present invention are as follows:

91 is a cani-shaft having one end 92 seated in a bearing 93 in the upright portion 94 of the arm' and its oppcnsite endr 95 passed through the hub 96 of a Worm-gear 97, which hub rotates in a bearing 98-insaid portion 94, and the shaft 91 is capable of longitudinal movement. Secured on the end 95 of the lshaft 91 is a cam-disk 99," provided: with a cam portion 100, the cam-disk 99 being held against aecidenta'l movement on the shaft 91 by being threaded upon said shaft and fixed withaset-screw 101. Upon the end 92- of the shaft 9-1 is= secure-d? by a screw 102 a dial 103, formedwifth a-knurledknob 104'. Mounted u on said shaft between the bearing 93 ub 96 -is a spring 105, normally held a co lar-106which is secunedf to-said shaft ba screwy v107, thus normally forcing the sha t 91 and its attached parts 1n the directionin- The cam-disk 99 carries a pin 1108, which coactswith holes 109 in the worm-gear 97, distributed equidistant from each other and'from the axis of said worm-gear, so that when the pinis interlocked with one of the holes by the normal expansive action of the spring 105 the cam-disk is caused to rotate synchronously with.` the worm-gear 97. The upright is provided withV a raised portion 110, surrounding the periphery of the dial 103, and provide-d with a pointer 111, secured by screw 112. The graduations on dial 103 are numbered' in seuence in a directiony opposite to that of t e dials rotation, and said dial is held norinally awa from its seat 113 suliciently to permit t e shaft 91 and its attached parts *cloth-feeding, and

to be manually moved in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow s torelease the pin 108 from one of its coacting- .sleeve-120, secured in position by screws 121 and provided with a worm 122, whichmeshes with the teeth 123 of the worm-gear 97. On one end of the shaft 119 is secured by screws 124 a gear-Wheel 125, which meshes with a smaller gear-wheel 126, fast on the needleactuating shaft 3, such gears preferably being of the ratio of four to one but any other desired proportion may be used. The gearwheel 126 acts through the connections 122, v125, 119, 120, and 123 to transmit rotary movements to the worm-gear l97. In the bracket 115 is formed a third bearing 127, in which is mounted the shaft 128 of a lever 129,' said shaft havingv secured to it by screws 130 a lever 131, which carries a roller 132, which coacts with the cam portion 100 of the camdisk 99 when such cam portion is caused to rotate in the path of said roller.. The lever 129 has formed in it a groove 133, in which is movably secured a slide-block 134, held against accidental displacement by a stud-` bolt 135, secured in a slot 136, formed in the lever 137, the stud-bolt 135 being adjustably secured by the tighteningof the thumb-nut 138. The lever-137 is secured by a set-screw 139 upon the rock-shaft 86.

, 140 is abase-plate adjustably secured by screw 141 to the bed-plate 1. Upon this base-plate is adjustably secured by screws 142 (see Fig. 7) a folder-platex143 and by screws 144 a folder-plate" 145. The folder'- plate 145 is provided lwith a scroll-guide 146, a guide-slot 147, and a crimping-plate 148,

thelatter preferably integral with the folderplate 145, and the folder-plate 143 is provided with a scroll -guide 149. The crimpingplate'coperates passively with the crimpingblade 68 in the formationl of the plaits or gathers, said crimping-blade'beingarranged over the crimping-plate.. TheA bed-plate 1 has a depression to accommodate the thickness of the base-plate 140, so that the -crimp- .ing-plate 148 will occu y a position. above 'the throat-plate ,151 su cientonlyto accom,-Y`

modate the highest lift of the feed-dog 48. The throatlate 151 forward of the needle has a like e evation, the remaining portion being on the same plane as the front and back slide-plates 152 and 153, respectively. To the lower endof the` presser-bar 7 is secured by screw 154 a bracket y155, provided with a pivotally-mounted cloth-presser 156 of approved construction, which coacts with crimping-blade from following the return movements of such blade, as the teeth 162 act directly upon the upper surface of the material as it is fed below the crimpingblade and over the crimping-plate.

The operation is vas follows: Assuming I that a mans dress-shirt is being made and that the material 164, Fig. 1 1, comprising the body portion is to be joined to the yoke 165v by seaming the several parts together in such manner that the material 164 is plaited or gathered between and at some distance from the' ends of the seams 166 and that the graduated disk'103'is adjusted so that the pointer 111 registers at 12 on the dial, which would place the cam portion'100 in a position opposite to that indicated in Fig. 4 or intermediate its operative position relatively to the roller 132, and it also being assumed that the edge 167 of the material 168is in the scrollgulde 149, the edge 169 of the material 170 in the scroll-guide 146, and the edge 171 of the material 164 `in the guide-slot 147, then the machine being put into operation the several plies of the material will be fed to the action of the needles and a plain 4two-needle seam be formed from 172 to 173, during which time the cam portion 100 will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow to contact with the roller 132, and as the roller mounts the incline of the cam portion 100 the shaft 86 through the connections 129 to 137 ,.inclusive, will be rocked in opposition to the resiliency of the spring 88, thus moving the lever and its attached slide-blocks gradually away from vthe aXis of rock-shaft 56 to the position which will give to the crimping-blade its greatest throw. Then the roller 132 will ride the incline on the opposite side of the cam portion 100 and the spring 87 will gradually return the shaft 86 to its normal position, causing thelever 85 and its' attached slide-block to be againadjusted` central with the aXis of the rock-shaft 56, thus .forming the plaits in the seam from 173 to 174, followed by the formation of the regular two-needle `seam vfrom 174 t0 175 or to rthe finish of the seam.k

f `It is evident that one or more seams may be formed. lf the production were substantially as herein pointed out, the stitching Awould be started with the graduated disk 103 adjusted relatively to the pointer 111 at. 12 on the dial, the formation of the plaits would commence substantially equidistant between dialpoints 5 and 6 and lterminate substantially equidistant between dial-pionts 6 and 7 when the plain two-needle stitching would be continued tothe end of the seam.

It is to be understood that many adjustments are provided so as to meet many kinds of work without necessitating the readjusting of the dial relatively to the pointer, as, for instance, if the length of the stitch were diminished or increased the length of the seams over allwould be proportionately lengthened or shortenedr andthe plaits or gathers would be nearer together or farther apart, thus dis-I tributing them over a greater or less portion of the seam, and if the adjustable connection comprising the arts 134 135 Were adjusted nearer to or fart er from the axis of the rockshaft 128 the plaits would be formed .reportionately Wider or narrower; but if t e production required the placing of the plaits out of central relation to the opposite ends of the seam then the operator 'before starting the machine would reset the cam-disk 99to such position as would properly locate the plaits relatively to the length of. the seam.

It is evident that the scroll-guide might be dispensedwith and a crimping-plate,'such as is commonly used inconnectio'n with the ordinary rufliing mechanism, substituted for it ani rufiies formed at predetermined interva s.

While the'invention is shown specialized for shirt-making, it is to be understoodfthat it is adaptable for Iother special Work and also for general manufacturing purposes. ther, it is to be understood that while .the power for operating the 'mechanism is most convenientl taken from the needle-actuat- .ingfshaft sti l obviously the power may be derived elsewhere, as from av se arate shaft, and in the claims herein made t e mention lof the needle-actuatingshaft is more by way of illustration of a 'power source than a limitation of the invention.

What I claim is-f- 1.' In a ruiiiing mechanism for sewing-machines, a stitch-forming mechanism, a clothfeeding mechanism, a crimping-blade, means for operatlng the same and'means for controlling said o erating means, including a cam-disk provi ed with a cam portion, means to rotate said cam-disk, and means for connecting said cam-disk with and disconnecting it from its rotating means, for automatically controllin the action and inaction of the crimpinglade for forming a cluster of plaits or gathers at a predetermined point in the line of seam. v

2. In a ruffling mechanismy for sewing-machines, a stitch-forming mechanism, a clothy feeding mechanism, -a crimping-blade, means for operating the same and means for controlling said o erating means, including a rotary cam, a s aft on which the cam is fixed -the rock-shaft periodically.

and by which `it may be adjusted manually and independently .of the means for o erating the crimping-blade to automatical ylde- `termine the position of the plaits in the `-line of the seam. l

3. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming .and a cloth-feeding mechanism, a crimpingblade and connections between said stitc forming mechanism and the crim ing-blade for operating the same, and control ing means including a dial and an adjustably-mounted rotary cam'connect'ed with said dial for auto-f maticall)7 controlling the action and inaction of the crimping-blade. x

4. In a rufliing' mechanism for sewing-machines, a stitch-forming mechanism, a clothfeeding mechanism, a crimping-blade, means for operating the same and means for controlling said operating means, including a cam, `means to rotate it and inde endent means for adjusting the cam relative y to its rotating means, the cam-adjusting mechanism being operabie inde endently of the-sewing -elements to reset t e cam for each new seam and thereby insurethe proper location of the plaits or gathers.

5. In a sewing-machine, aneedle-actuating shaft, and a dial,- an adjustably-mounted cam with which said dial is connected, said 1 cam carried by a disk, gearing connecting said disk and shaft, a crimping-blade,and means including an .eccentric and an eccentric-strap for connecting saidblade with the needle-actuating shaft, incombination with a ,slidable connection automatically controlled by said adjlustably-mounted cam to effect -or suspend t e'action of the crimpingblade at predeterminedintervals.

6. yThe combination of stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanisms including a drivin lshaft, a crimpin -blade, means to drive IOO it om said shaft inc uding levers coupled by a shiftable coupling, a lever connected to said coupling, a spring-held rock-shaft onwhich said lever is fixed and means connected with the driving-shaft for positively rocking,

7 .i The combination of stitch-forming andsaid blade from said shaft ,includin crossed rock-levers having a shiftable coup ing, and means for periodically suspending `the move. ment of the blade while-the driving-shaft is operating, same comprising `a rock-shaft, a

lever thereon connected with the shiftable coupling, means to' actuate the rock-shaft from the driving-shaft, and means to control the actuation of the rock-shaft including a cam, a spring-held adjustable shaft on which it is mounted, and worm-gearing with which i said cam `is adapted to be connected at the will of the operator. f

9. The combination of stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanisms including a driving-shaft, a crimping-blade, means to actuate said blade from said shaft including crossed rock-levers having a shiftable coupling, and means for periodically suspending the movement of the blade while the driving-shaft is operating, same comprising a rock-shaft, a lever thereon connected with the shiftable coupling a parallel rock-shaft, connectinglevers on said rock-shafts having an adjustable connection, a cam, a cam-arm on the parallel rock-shaft coperating with the cam, gearing connecting the cam with the drivingshaft, and means to connect and disconnect the cam and gearing.

10. In a rufliing mechanism for sewingmachines, a stitch-forming mechanism, a cloth-feeding mechanism, a crimping-blade, means for operatingtne same and means for controlling said operating means, including a cam having two independently-operating rotating mediums whereby the cam is respectively rotated with the sewing elements and at pleasure rotarily adjusted with relation to its first-mentioned rotation to reset the cam for each new seam and thereby insure the proper location of the plaits or gathers.

11. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism and a cloth-feeding mechanism, a crimping-blade and connections between said stitch-forming mechanism and the' crimping-bladefor operating the crimpingblade, and for determining the time of action and inaction of the crimping-blade, and the location of the plaits or gathers in the seam, said connections including a cam, means for rotating' the same in one direction, means for maintaining said cam coupled with its rotating means throughout a complete rotation, and resetting devices for said cam.

13. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism including a needle actuating shaft, a cloth-feeding mechanism, a crimping-blade and connections between it and the needle-actuating shaft for operating the crimping-blade and varying its throw to form a bunch of plaits or gathers of varying width or" fullness and for controlling the time of operation of the crimping-blade, said connections including a` rotary cam and adjusting devices therefor.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of June, A. D. 1905..

ALEXANDER LAUBSCHER. Witnesses:

F. W. Os'rRoM, A. DONIHEE. 

